The IBF have ordered Filip Hrgovic to face Frank Sanchez in a heavyweight world title eliminator, with the winner set to become mandatory for Daniel Dubois' IBF world title.
The International Boxing Federation declared, "We have ordered [Frank] Sanchez and [Filip] Hrgovic to begin negotiations for the #1 position [currently vacant].
"We are scheduled to notify Dubois and [Derek] Chisora to negotiate for the mandatory defence of the title on April 22."
However, Dubois is heading towards an undisputed bout with Oleksandr Usyk in the summer.
So the IBF clarified their stance on this, "Derek Chisora is the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois but the mandatory bout is due to be ordered on April 22. There is not enough time for an eliminator since Dubois' mandatory s due on June 21. If Daniel Dubois would want to pursue the unification, that would take precedence over the mandatory."
Sanchez (25-1, 1 NC, 18 KOs) is currently IBF #4, while Hrgovic (18-1, 14 KOs) is #6, but that position is set to rise in next month's rankings after the once-beaten Croatian widely outpointed former amateur rival Joe Joyce, in Manchester, England on April 5.
That victory followed on 10 months from his sole professional career defeat to Daniel Dubois, the man who went on to become the IBF world heavyweight champion.
27-year-old Dubois is currently in talks with unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for a rematch in a London stadium in the summer, rumoured to be July 12 at Wembley.
'The Cuban Flash Sanchez also has one defeat on his record, to Agit Kabayel in May 2024. The unbeaten German stopped Sanchez in seven. Just like Hrgovic, Sanchez has also bounced back with a win. The 32-year-old stopped Mexican Ramon Olivas Echeverria in three rounds in February this year.
Originally, IBF #3 Efe Ajagba and #10 Martin Bakole were scheduled to contest the mandatory position, but Bakole rolled the dice against Joseph Parker and came up short.
However, Ajagba and Bakole are still set to fight on the May 3 Canelo vs Scull card.
A fight between Hrgovic and Sanchez would be a close contest, and whichever emerges victorious would make for a serious candidate for the IBF world title, whomever the holder should be at the time.